Brutus main motive behind Caesar’s assassination is the welfare of his country. He seeks people’s sights as he stands against dictatorship and kingship. In his opening dialogue with Cassius, Brutus refers to his own fear of Caesar’s increasing power: “what means this shouting? I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king”.
Cassius wins Brutus because he plays on the idea of honour. Brutus has already been feeling worried by thougths of Caesar’s increasing power as given by Cassius, “he does bestride the narrow world / like a Colossus”. We see Brutus’ love for honour and nobility clear, as he is ready to sacrifice his love for Caesar to his love of liberty as he declares:
“Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time is like to lay upon us”.
When Cassius refers to Caesar’s physical infirmities we feel more impressed by Caesar’s greatness than disappointed by his physical weakness. This is the main point of Brutus’ fear as a ‘dictator’ Caesar would no longer remain gentle or generous but would be a tyrant. It’s clear that Brutus agrees to join the conspiracy out of love, while all the others join to achieve personal and selfish motives.
Another major feature in Brutus’ character is his ignorance of the human nature. He can’t predict how people would act. Brutus could not understand Cassius’ real motives behind his desire to get rid of Caesar. This is Brutus main flow and main fault. He could never expect that Cassius has his own personal motives against Caesar. He believes that all the people, like him, believe in honour. Being true and honest as he is, he believes that others are true. Here we can see that Brutus, our idealistic leader who commits several serious blunders. Brutus misjudges Antony’s intentions as he describes Antony as a man “given to sports, to wildnees, and much company”.. He believes that Antony is incapable of talking any step, “all that he can do is to himself, take thought and die for Caesar”. This misjudgement is the biggest cause of Brutus’ downfall especially that he gives Antony the chance of face the mob. An effective card that leads Brutus to lose every thing and Antony to win every thing.
Contrast between Brutus and Antony is so sharp in the way they deal with the mob. It’s the difference between Brutus the idealistic leader and Antony, the idealistic realistic one. Brutus misjudges the mob and addresses them as if they were well-educated philosophers. Language used by shakespeare reveals Brutus’ intellectual mind and also shows how he lacks understanding of the human natures. He addresses them as if they were equal to him in education and philosophy, ”Believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may to believe”. Comparison is clear between Brutus and Antony who touches their emotions with his words, “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar and I must pause till it come back to me”. Brutus refers to Caesar’s ambition as a main cause for his assassination while Antony shows them Caesar’s “will” and his wounds to inflame their feelings “they would go and kiss Caesar’s wounds”. This contrast shows a major fault in Brutus’ speech, a main reason to lose the one and only card he has in hand, it’s the mob. Brutus’ main mistake is the permissionhe gives Antony to speak to the mob. Brutus refuses to listen to Cassius words, “know you how much the people may be moved?” yet sure of his power over the mob, “I will myself into the pulpit first”. Here, words reveal a conceited character, so sure of his effect or deep love to Caesar. That’s why Brutus gives wrong instructions in the battle, does not listen to any voice but his voice of honour. That’s why we say that Brutus tragedy is a tragedy of errors, and these errors are mainly because of his idealistic character and his love for honour and moral perfection.
Shakespeare meant to emphasize Brutus’ moral perfection through the language he uses and action he follows.. We see in Brutus a model of idealism and a philosopher. His speech is full of wisdom and painciples but he fails to apply this wisdom on practical situations, as we have seen his speech with the mob. He surprises us with his steadiness in front of his wife’s death and in the face of the approaching defeat in the battle.
It goes without saying that our honourable leader is marked by gentleness like the gentleness of a lamb. This is clear in the way he deals with his wife “O ye gods, Render me worthy of this noble wife”.
He is also so gentle in his treatment of his boy servants. This gentleness is also clear in the quarrel scene with Cassius, Brutus accepts Cassius’ apology. Brutus wins our hearts as well as the peoples with his gentleness. But we can’t forgive him for his betrayal to Caesar. The stigma of assassination does attach to his name, especially that he has no real reasons against Caesar to join in the conspiracy. His betrayal is so great as Caesar expresses his pain in his words, “ET TU, BRUTE?” then fall Caesar. Brutus’ final end shows his realization of his own crime against Caesar’s frindship.